They couldn't break it open even when Dwyane Wade was converting logic-defying floaters at the rim on the way to 27 points on his 31st birthday.

But they had LeBron James, and in today's NBA, that remains the ultimate edge.

A night after reaching 20,000 career points and 5,000 career assists in a blowout victory over the Golden State Warriors, James this time seized control when needed.

With a season-high 39 points, James helped the Heat hold off the not-as-good-as-expected Lakers 99-90 Thursday night at Staples Center, in the first meeting of the teams since Los Angeles added Dwight Howard and Steve Nash in the offseason.

"He's been at the heart of us getting better, by driving us," coach Erik Spoelstra said after James scored 10 fourth-quarter points and took the late defensive challenge against Bryant.

It was all LeBron all the time at the finish after the Lakers tied it 90-90 with 2:33 to play.

First there was an assist on a Wade 12-foot jumper with 2:12 left for a 92-90 lead. Then there was a James assist on a Ray Allen runner with 90 seconds to play that put the Heat up 94-90. James followed with a short bank shot with 49 seconds to play for a 96-90 lead. And with 5.8 seconds to play, there was a dunk as part of a 3-point player that allowed James to eclipse his previous season high of 38 points.

"We closed the trip the right way," said James, who finished with a season-high six dunks and shot 13 of 13 within five feet of the rim.

The Heat won it by shutting down Bryant at the finish, on what ended as a 22-point, 8-of-25 night for the Lakers guard. James is now 12-6 all-time against Bryant, 4-1 since joining the Heat. His 39 points were two off his high in a game against Bryant.

James said it wasn't even a matter of seeking approval from Spoelstra to make Bryant his late defensive focus.

"I don't need to ask," he said. "I just tell him I got him."

Spoelstra wasn't about to argue, not when James, with the game in the balance, went as far as to throw himself on the floor to secure a long rebound of a Bryant miss.

"That epitomizes what LeBron James is all about," Spoelstra said. "Whatever it takes to win a basketball game, that is what he's willing to do.

"That's the best player in the league throwing his body out there in harm's way to come up with a big rebound, completely horizontal on the floor."

But it wasn't just James finding renewed resolve. There also was Wade playing with more pep in his step than earlier in the season.

"He's our heartbeat of our franchise." Spoelstra said. "I told him the last two days he's gotten younger. He's 31 going on 22."

With Bryant draining consecutive jumpers, the second a 3-pointer, the Lakers closed within 78-74 early in the fourth quarter, after the Heat had pushed their lead to a nine. A pair of Metta World Peace free throws and a Pau Gasol dunk followed, to tie it.

That's when James converted the Heat's first 3-pointer of the night, after the Heat had missed their first eights, only to have Bryant drain a jumper and then a 3-pointer for an 83-81 Lakers lead.

Shortly thereafter, James shifted to the defensive assignment against Bryant, forcing a miss, with the Heat getting an Allen 3-pointer in transition for an 86-83 lead. James followed with a jumper for an 88-83 Heat lead.

Nash followed with a 3-pointer for the Lakers, with another Bryant 3-pointer later tying it 90-90 with 2:33 to play.

That's when James took over.

"Incredible performance," Bryant said of James' effort. "He does that consistently, though. He's just a phenomenal player."

The problem for the Heat for most of the night was a struggle with their outside shots, to the point where Spoelstra inserted Rashard Lewis in the third quarter, the Heat 0 for 6 on 3-pointers through three periods.

What the Heat were doing well, however, was forcing turnovers, with the Lakers closing with 20.

"That activates us," Spoelstra said of the defensive energy.

That energy translated to a 68-28 edge in points in the paint, with the Heat finishing at the rim.

It also was the type of energy that allowed the Heat to withstand a 16-rebound night by Howard, who led to his own undoing by shooting 5 of 13 from the line in being limited to 13 points. As for Nash, he closed with nine points and seven assists, but never truly was a factor.

Then there was Bryant.

"I allowed myself to be too much of a decoy tonight," Bryant said. "Should have been more aggressive from the start."

The two-game season series concludes when the Lakers visit AmericanAirlines Arena on Feb. 10.